What will be your first leisure based bus journey after lockdown?

[Llandudno]

Following the announcement that non essential journeys by public transport are permitted from 12 April, which leisure based bus journey are you looking forward to the most?

Personally, I am looking forward to trying Hulley’s Snake Bus X57 between Manchester and Sheffield. I will have to do some research though to find out which pubs without drinking areas are going to be open from that date in Sheffield and Manchester!

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

Following the announcement that non essential journeys by public transport are permitted from 12 April, which leisure based bus journey are you looking forward to the most?

Personally, I am looking forward to trying Hulley’s Snake Bus X57 between Manchester and Sheffield. I will have to do some research though to find out which pubs without drinking areas are going to be open from that date in Sheffield and Manchester!

Well, I'm not going to go crazy, and I only do about 6-8 days out a year; too many other competing demands on my time, not least my very patient other half.

A return to my native North East is priority, to experience the X Lines and the other developments from Go North East. I also just like to travel back to those windswept places that no-one usually bothers about.

A trip to Essex is long overdue, plus I do like a bit of a trawl around the West Midlands... some just don't see the beauty in Upper Gornall.

I doubt I'll be out there on 12th April though; patience is a virtue and there's other stuff I want to do first, like see my family in the North.

 

[northrob]

Hulleys X57 is high on my list to do as well. Apart from that, I don't mind where I end up going - be it busy urban area or rural countryside.

I do have a number of trips planned, including 13 separate days out around Greater London(!), which may be promoted/demoted subject to whether there are any offers to try and entice us back onto public transport...

 

[AndrewE]

I'm sure that one of our first trips will be northbound from Windermere station for a day's walking in the Lakes. Maybe a even bus ride west(ish) from Penrith for a walk and then another bus back to Windermere.
Let me free!

 

[CN04NRJ]

Whichever one gets me to the pub fastest when they're open, Lothian Country 275 to Livingston Wetherspoons it is then

 

[GusB]

This is not a thread to discuss the wearing of masks! If you really must, please do so in the section of the forum which is dedicated to Covid-related discussion.

 

[richw]

We’ve got a self contained holiday booked for 12th April we booked before covid started in 2020, so we’ve fingers crossed it goes ahead, and we’d get there by train and bus, and bus about whilst there. As I drive for work we always try to book our holidays based on no driving and public transport.

 

[Llandudno]

I'm sure that one of our first trips will be northbound from Windermere station for a day's walking in the Lakes. Maybe a even bus ride west(ish) from Penrith for a walk and then another bus back to Windermere.
Let me free!

A trip aboard the 508 from Windermere to Penrith via the Kirkstone Pass is a must!

 

[lxfe_mxtterz]

I've always wanted to take a ride on the Citylink route 915 from Glasgow up through Glencoe. Was planning to do this, but then COVID-19 turned up and ruined everything...

 

[KendalKing]

The first planed Day-out, is to visit my father-in-law grave in Heywood, something which my wife and myself have been unable to do, due to the restrictions.

It will be the train from Carnforth to Bolton or Manchester, then the bus to Heywood.

 

[Non Multi]

A rather mundane Thames Valley 15 to Eton, or maybe the Greenline 702 (when it restarts) on a weekend morning to London now that there are journeys that use the A4 west of Slough town centre.

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

We’ve got a self contained holiday booked for 12th April we booked before covid started in 2020, so we’ve fingers crossed it goes ahead, and we’d get there by train and bus, and bus about whilst there. As I drive for work we always try to book our holidays based on no driving and public transport.

I know exactly how you feel. Whilst not a driver, I (used to) drive a lot with work. I remember being on hols in Porth in 2018, driving down and parking up on Sat lunchtime and not then driving until the Wednesday lunchtime. Kept local on Sat, and then watched England vs Panama on the Sunday. Monday was a trip via Snozzell to Fowey, ferries to Polruan and Meva before a heading back on an e200mmc and Solo whilst Tuesday was Tridents to/from Padstow before a trip that evening for a trip to Holywell Bay.

I might do more but the other half might not approve. Looking forward to trip to Kernow at some point.

 

[christopher]

My usual loop from Windermere on the 508 and back on the 555 via Keswick is very much needed.

 

[richw]

I know exactly how you feel. Whilst not a driver, I (used to) drive a lot with work. I remember being on hols in Porth in 2018, driving down and parking up on Sat lunchtime and not then driving until the Wednesday lunchtime. Kept local on Sat, and then watched England vs Panama on the Sunday. Monday was a trip via Snozzell to Fowey, ferries to Polruan and Meva before a heading back on an e200mmc and Solo whilst Tuesday was Tridents to/from Padstow before a trip that evening for a trip to Holywell Bay.

I might do more but the other half might not approve. Looking forward to trip to Kernow at some point.

We’ve got this one in April, is at watchet, then last year we had a booking to bideford which was moved to may half term, and for October half term we’ve booked the parkdean site a few mins walk from Sandown station. The kids loved watching the hovercraft last time we went to Ryde so I’m going to surprise them with travelling over by that.

 

[Statto]

Hulleys X57 is high on my list to do as well. Apart from that, I don't mind where I end up going - be it busy urban area or rural countryside.

I do have a number of trips planned, including 13 separate days out around Greater London(!), which may be promoted/demoted subject to whether there are any offers to try and entice us back onto public transport...

X57 is high on my list of routes to do too, otherwise a day out somewhere, or an overnight away day

Wrexham to Birsay on Orkney, all on Stagecoach over land then short ferry trip, is on my bucket list of things to do, one might wait for next year as i'd rather do this trip in May or June

 

[Stena Galloway]

I've always wanted to take a ride on the Citylink route 915 from Glasgow up through Glencoe. Was planning to do this, but then COVID-19 turned up and ruined everything...

Used to drive this route when Stagecoach Glasgow operated it for Citylink. You won't be disappointed. I drove it 5 days a week and never got fed up of the scenery.

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

We’ve got this one in April, is at watchet, then last year we had a booking to bideford which was moved to may half term, and for October half term we’ve booked the parkdean site a few mins walk from Sandown station. The kids loved watching the hovercraft last time we went to Ryde so I’m going to surprise them with travelling over by that.

We've booked for Appledore so it'll be a bit of Stagecoach action for us!

Watchet is lovely; I cycled it from home near Baff a couple of years ago, meeting the better half there (she drove) and it's a lovely spot, and you have the delights of the WSR, Minehead, Dunster etc, Unless there's some registration from BoS, you are sort of restricted to the 28 to Minehead or Taunton though.

I know what you mean about the hovercraft at Ryde. We did it about 8 years ago as I refused to take a car to the IOW so it was train + bus + hovercraft and then three days on SV buses plus the train!

 

[Hardcastle]

Hulleys X57 i think we need to warn them in advance so we get a decker on it.

 

[cnjb8]

Hulleys X57 definitely.
Trent's Rainbow One MMCs, haven't been on them yet.
If (fingers crossed) we will still be able to go on holiday, I'd love to go to Cornwall to see the great work FSW has done. Or I'd love to go to the North East to see GNEs recent work.

 

[Pat1105]

plus I do like a bit of a trawl around the West Midlands... some just don't see the beauty in Upper Gornall.

Always interesting on the 223 in summer, with overheating solos going up Duke Street!

 

[RELL6L]

So many plans once we are allowed out and vaccinated (60-64 so still waiting....)!

Once we can stay away I have many plans in the North East and Yorkshire, but they are too far from home until hotels open.

Like almost everyone my top priority is the X57 across the Snake Pass. I really hope it does well, love the idea of a double decker - doubtful though.

With a very early start I think I can be in Macclesfield for 8.00 so my plan is

Macclesfield - Buxton - Tideswell - Hope - Hathersage - Ladybower - Glossop - Hayfield - New Mills - Newtown - Hazel Grove - Bollington - Macclesfield.

It would be quicker and more scenic to go from Hayfield straight back to Macclesfield - the 60 is a great run and the timings work well, back in Macclesfield at 14.45. But I did this on my last trip in September and I haven't done the 391/392 so that seems a good alternative. Had planned Bradwell instead of Hope but a recent change to the 272 where only alternate journeys each way go through Bradwell has put paid to that.

Plenty of other ideas. Looking forward to the Dartmoor Explorer as I would like to link in Newton Abbott to Moretonhampstead and Tavistock to Callington if possible. And I hope services return to 'normal' levels soon.

 

[Martin1988]

Ideally I'd like to go to Nottingham again. The last 'normal' leisure journey I did was a return trip on the Megabus from Bristol to Nottingham back on Wednesday 11th March 2020 and it was at the start of the journey home it was reported on the news that Coronavirus had been declared a pandemic. Therefore going to Nottingham would signify the end of all this madness and the start of a return to normality.

 

[route101]

Got a few ideas. X57 is one Id like to do. Some of the X lines routes around the Northeast.

 

[PeterC]

The timings of services back to my village make for rather limited day trips so I suspect that the first will simply be the park and ride into Oxford once the shops reopen.

 

[harz99]

Whichever one gets me to the pub fastest when they're open, Lothian Country 275 to Livingston Wetherspoons it is then

I'll second that, different bus route and different Spoon's though...

 

[scosutsut]

My young lad is nearly two and hasnt been on a bus yet. I point then out to him when we are on walks, so I think first up for us will likely be a East Coast Buses B9TL/Gemini 2 on a 104 so he can experience the top deck, hopefully from the front.

Whether his attention span will last over an hour to Edinburgh is anyone's guess!

 

[route101]

Did a sneaky trip today, 6 from East Kilbride and 4 up to Newton Mearns for a walk around my old school and area.

 

[40129]

Whichever one gets me to the pub fastest when they're open, Lothian Country 275 to Livingston Wetherspoons it is then

I'll second that, different bus route and different Spoon's though...

I'll third that, so hopefully the #62 provided the pub in Moore re-opens

 

[Y961 XBU]

For me is depends if people are allowed to travel from England into Wales, If allowed i plan to get over to Wrexham to tick off some Arriva Buses i need over there, If not i will look at Ashcrofts Services in Halton am other Arriva Buses in that area.

 

[TheSel]

A trip aboard the 508 from Windermere to Penrith via the Kirkstone Pass is a must!

My usual loop from Windermere on the 508 and back on the 555 via Keswick is very much needed.

Especially for you, but from 2009 when the service was numbered 517:

Stagecoach North West 20132 - P132XCN - an Alexander bodied Volvo B10M climbs the Kirkstone Pass with Ullswater in the background. My photo. Usual rights reserved, bla bla bla.